


A Little Bit of Heaven

by drakonlily



Category: Bastion
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-21
Updated: 2012-12-21
Packaged: 2017-11-21 20:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/601646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drakonlily/pseuds/drakonlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ain't easy tryin' floatin' around on a little bit of the sky all the time. When the Kid, Zia, Zulf, and Rucks end up crossin' paths with a big ol chuck a city they  get a little chance to unwind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Bit of Heaven

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vintar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vintar/gifts).



Somethin' kinda calming about the end of the world once you stop fightin' with the idea. Not like you can stop it none, even if you were the pride of the Breakers. I can't say it hasn't had its up an' downs, mind you, but we're gettin' on alright. Zia's a right good pilot; at least we ain't hit nothin' yet. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't something beautiful about that woman's hair flowing into some odd place between space and time. Kid's been workin' - always workin'. He's makin' sure that nothin' is going to fall off our little rock home. Even made that squirt that follows Zulf around a nice little house outside Zulf's tent. Zulf didn't thank him none. That one never will. I'm worried about Zulf the most, I think. There's a stain deep inside that boy that may never really wash out.

-+-

Zulf chopped up some vegetables as he tried to keep his mind off of... well... everything. It was impossible to avoid a person when life itself was encased in one small floating island. Impossible to run very far, either, and Zulf had become quite adept at running. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to apologize somehow to them all, it was simply that the words felt hollow and empty. It wasn’t as if they would erase time. He sighed and put the knife down. Zulf placed his hands firmly on the cutting block in front of him, closed his eyes, and breathed in deep. His jaw clenched till his temples throbbed and he just tried to shut that voice in his head up. 

A slight bump at his shoulder jarred Zulf from the unsuccessful trance. The squirt made a little chirping sound before gently nudging him again. The left corner of Zulf’s mouth quirked up and he patted the creature on top of its head. Pleased, the squirt spun in a circle and then picked up the rag that Zulf typically used to wipe utensils clean in the kitchen. It chirped again. 

“That won’t do, you need an apron.” 

The squirt cooed and looked around for one before it dipped into the corner and started to pull one from between two stacked boxes. 

“I suppose I should give you a name, shouldn’t I?” Zulf walked across the kitchen and lifted a box to free the apron. He grunted a bit as he did so. Someone would have to remind Kid that not everyone swung hammers all day long. He helped the squirt tie the apron around its middle and walked back to the cutting block. “What do you think of Pyth?” Something about the bull god was comforting, even if it didn’t really have much meaning anymore.

The response was a coo and a spin. Zulf took that as a sign of approval and got back to cooking. He really couldn’t say thank you, it was too empty to apologize, but Zulf would contribute. He hoped that perhaps it could say more than he was able. 

-+- 

Can’t fly around forever though. Sooner or later, somethin’ has to cross your path or you cross its. Our little bit of land was dwarfed entirely by this big ol’ chunk of rock that looked like a scumbag about ready to pop. Kid jumped to his feet immediately, hand on that hammer of his while Zulf drew an arrow across his bow. I didn’t feel like sayin’ nothin’ to either of them. Zia crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. If Rage was such a powerful tool, I think it woulda built somethin’ by now. But I was a young man myself once, can’t talk sense to them. 

-+-

“... do you think it’s... safe?” Zia picked up her harp and rose up on her tiptoes to peer over Kid’s head at the large mass of land floating through space. Her heart thudded in her chest, something akin to love was making her stomach feel tight. They had been low on supplies and it was comforting to know that they hadn’t made the wrong choices. 

She watched Kid’s shoulders shrugged. He didn’t need to say anything, really. It didn’t matter if the place was safe or not, they needed supplies and no one could be totally sure when their island would run out of power. Rucks could only estimate what was going to happen, not give them anything exact. Zia understood, but it wasn’t something that was great to dwell on.

“Suppose it doesn’t really matter.” Kid muttered as he started forward. 

Zia couldn’t help but smile, it was fun to share thoughts with others even when they didn’t know they were doing it. 

The four of them set into action to attach the island to the larger landmass. Zulf and Kid pitched large anchors while Zia and Rucks readied a sort of drawbridge. Zulf counted, with every number he and Kid drew the island closer. Zia could feel herself vibrating with excitement. She let out a pleased yelp as she shoved the bridge down. 

Kid and Zulf both jumped down to join Zia and Rucks as they stood before the bridge. Zia wasn’t willing to wait any longer. She secured her harp at her back and took Kid’s hand in her left and Zulf’s hand in her right. Without a word she tugged them along with her. “Hold down the fort, Rucks, we’ll be back!” 

-+-

I know I said it before, but Zia is a right pretty woman. Her parents did her worlds of favors from that long dark hair to those big dark eyes. I’m too old to do anythin’ ‘bout it now, but can’t blame a man for lookin’. Travellin’ with three kids like this, makes a man almost feel young himself. I know someone needs to hold down the fort, though. And considerin’ that this fort is all my creation, best be me. Maybe I’ll get around to seein’ the sites when they come back. 

-+-

The Kid was shocked at how quickly the forested undergrowth gave way to a city. He was a bit more shocked to see that he didn’t stand out among the people that were milling about in the streets. His shock white hair and fair features were shared from every man, woman, and child. It was a pleasant change of pace as far as Kid was concerned. When he had been young, before he put time in at the wall, his features had caused him no end of problems. Standing out when you’re poor and hungry is never a good place to be. 

Now it was Zia and Zulf that stood out; Kid slid between the two of them. Zulf glanced up at him, but wouldn’t hold Kid’s line of sight for long before he looked off across the street. Sometimes Kid wondered if saving the other man’s life had been a blessing or not. He’d wanted to leave Zulf there, it would have been worlds easier than walking with a full grown man on his back while Ura soldiers fired arrows into him. In the end, he couldn’t take the easy way out with Zulf. For his part, Zulf never mentioned it and that was probably for the better. 

Zia chose that moment to release Kid’s hand. “Look! There’s an inn, we can have showers.”

“Showers?” The way Zulf said it, it sounded a bit like he had heard her say they had found the greatest treasure one could find. Kid had to admit, a bucket and water wasn’t as nice as his old tub had been. 

Kid could feel eyes on them now and he was reluctant to leave the two of them alone. “Let’s jus’ be careful.” he warned. 

Zia didn’t seem to be aware that anyone was noticing her at all. He gritted his teeth as she let go of his hand and flitted off towards the door of the inn. “You guys coming?” 

Once again he shared a look with Zulf, this time Zulf actually talked. “Yeah, I know, I’ll keep an eye on her when you go get the old man.” 

“Keep an eye on yourself.” Kid warned. He hadn’t meant it to come off as though he didn’t think Zulf could handle himself. Zulf had proven that he could. It wasn’t a challenge either, they were fairly far beyond that. Zulf could handle himself fine, but Kid was the pride of the Breakers and they both knew it. 

Still, Zulf’s eyes narrowed. He seemed close to telling Kid to go stuff himself, instead he just turned on heel and followed Zia into the inn. 

-+-

Somethin’ about thank-yous and I’m-sorries is that they can be hard as nails to get out to the people who you want to say ‘em too the most. When you only got three other people for companionship suddenly what you do an’ what you don’t matter a whole lot more. Zulf, well, his demons run deep. Kid, on the other hand, is proof that still waters hide violent tides. Zia herself wears her heart on her harp if ya care to give it a listen. As for me? Maybe my own part in this is tryin’ to make sure these three kids get where they need to go safe and sound on account of makin’ part of this mess in the first place. 

-+-

Rucks was poking around the power supply for the island when he heard someone return. “Tha’ you, Kid?” He kept his wrench up and at the ready until Kid turned the corner. The smile on the younger man’s face said that at least the people were friendly. Rucks returned the expression. “Good news?”

“Found an inn. Looks like there’s a whole city just a mile out.” 

The comment earned a laugh. “Now that’s the best news I’ve heard in months.” Rucks put his wrench down and gathered up some supplies of his own. “I assume you’re letting Zulf handle the details?” 

Kid smirked. Zulf’s greatest asset was also his greatest weakness: the ability to talk a really smooth story. Rucks hoped that it didn’t end with Kid having to complete some sort of quest or the like. That was a lot more bother than any of them needed. The pair made their way through the woods and eventually into the town. Rucks didn’t say anything about it, but he appreciated how Kid kept the pace slower and even. 

When he saw the inn, Rucks was overjoyed. “It smells like they got food cookin'.” Inside the building it was like the few others that Rucks had known in his day. A bar was tucked up into one corner, the front desk had people lounging in front of it on the cushioned chairs that littered the lobby and there was even a restaurant that looked to only be opened for breakfast and lunch. Inside the bar he could see Zia, comfortably seated with a drink in hand. She waved them over. 

“Zulf could only get one room, but it’s a suite, so it technically is two.” 

Kid flagged down the bartender without comment. 

Rucks waved him off and sat down himself. “How many beds?” 

“Three and a sofa.” She sipped a surprisingly dark beer. “So it’s better than the island. Plus plenty of food. Zulf may have some work lined up for us too.”

Kid turned around at that. 

“Nothing set in stone, obviously.” She nodded her head to the left. 

Zulf was leaned up against a pool table, his hands comfortably supporting himself while he chatted with what appeared to be regulars. Two of them started laughed and he flashed that dashing smile of his. His black hair stood out like a raven in the middle of white doves and Zulf carried the attention easily. Zulf was the most comfortable when he could control what people saw from him. Another peel of laughter and one of the men touched his shoulder. Zulf leaned his head in conspiratorially. One dark eyebrow arched then and he looked over at his companions and flashed them a wink. 

Rucks shook his head. “I’ll leave you guys to whatever that is.” He took the key from Zia and wandered up to the room. 

-+-

Sometimes you just gotta let things sort themselves out. Whatever it is with those kids, I honestly don’t want nothin’ to do with it. Plus, a nice suite like this is right hard to pass up after bucket baths. I think I’ll take a nice soak and just lock myself up in the big room. Them kids are bright enough to figure out what to do with the side room. I got myself a right good meal, a fine beer, and found myself a book. All that’s left to do is fill up this tub.

-+-

It turned out that between the three of them, they ran a pretty tight racket with pool. Zulf wasn’t a bad shot at all, he could keep up with his own hype at the very least. Kid was a little worse than Zulf, but no one really felt like messing with him after one quick scuffle. Zia, not surprisingly, was able to keep up with Zulf thanks to her delicate, musician's hands. They’d made as many friends as adversaries and were able to stumble their way up to the suite without much work. Kid tried the main door first and grunted when it was obviously locked from the inside. He blinked at Zia and Zulf. 

The side room opened, but there was no way into the master area of the suite. Zia laughed. “That old windbag, he locked us out.” She tossed her head and staggered a bit, the beer finally seemed to catch her. “Soooo... now what?”

Zulf and Kid looked at each other and nodded. Together they moved things about and shoved the two smaller beds together. Zia flopped about pillows and blankets to form a comfortable nest. they flopped on their backs and kicked off their shoes. Collectively Kid, Zia, and Zulf let out long, contented sighs and drifted off to sleep.

-+-

You know, we may not even stay here. Prolly won’t, to be honest. I think we got a bit of the wanderlust in us. But for right now havin’ a warm place to sleep, a full stomach, and the promise that all four of us will be here tomorrow is about all we need. Damned if right now, this don’t feel like heaven.


End file.
